`tis The Season For Nba Managers To Trade Gifts

It must be that the general managers around the National Basketball Association didn`t get enough gifts under their Christmas trees, because they`re sure looking for some new toys these days.

Ralph Sampson and Larry Smith for Harvey Grant, Terry Catledge and cash was hot until Sampson underwent knee surgery again last week. This week it`s John Salley who may end up as someone else`s present.

It seems the high-jumping, quick-quipping Pistons` forward has said enough for Chuck Daly. Daly reportedly has told general manager Jack McCloskey to dispatch Salley. And Vinnie Johnson, too. Detroit feels Johnson (known as the ``Microwave``) has become unplugged. They were talking with Indiana about Wayman Tisdale and John Long, but Daly figures one tour of duty for Long in Detroit was one too many.

Also, the Celtics and Mavericks engaged in some preliminary talk about Kevin McHale. Reportedly, Dallas offered Sam Perkins, Detlef Schrempf and two first round picks for McHale and Dennis Johnson. Both teams say the discussions merely reached the early stages before being cut off by Red Auerbach. But Dallas sources say they were encouraged because they`d asked about McHale many times before and this was the first time Boston had not immediately said no.

Rod Strickland continues to draw interest. Around the league they`re saying the former De Paul guard does everything Mark Jackson does, but faster. Reportedly, there`s talk of a three-way deal with Strickland going to Indiana, Tisdale to Portland and Kiki Vandeweghe to New York, with all but the Knicks ready to pull the trigger.

The Pistons also inquired about Buck Williams for Salley, and Milwaukee is willing to listen for offers for Paul Pressey since they`re happy with Jay Humphries at point guard. Golden State is thinking about William Bedford or Darryl Dawkins to replace Sampson and trying to move Tellis Frank.

And Larry Brown wants to move Willie Anderson to guard, so Alvin Robertson can still be had.

- Granted, there were a lot of unhappy Los Angeles Lakers, like Pat Riley, after the team lost its sixth straight road game.

``We can`t guard you,`` Riley said turning to a female reporter during a 128-123 win over Philadelphia last week. ``We can`t guard anybody. We can`t guard the floor. I`m 43 years old and haven`t played in 10 years and I can play better defense.``

``I`m frustrated with losing,`` Earvin ``Magic`` Johnson said after being ejected from a game last week for just the second time in his career. ``I`ve never been through this before. It`s what frustartion does.``

Yet the Lakers are still in first place, having played 19 of 28 games on the road thus far, and have just two games left against Eastern Conference opponents on the road. And the Lakers may have made an important adjustment as Orlando Woolridge last week recorded his first ever DNP-CD (Did not play-coach`s decision).

- But Dallas general manager Norm Sonju may have written off his team after a 3-2 road trip. After losses to New Jersey and Milwaukee, Sonju said,

``I was expecting is to win five. You can forget the conference (title). You`ve got to take care of business in this league and we couldn`t on this trip.``

Then, noting that Chris Morris hit aanother three-pointer to beat them, Sonju added: ``It made me sick. It makes you wonder why we`re seding all these coaches out to scout.``

Responded coach John MacLeod: ``We won 60 percent of our road games. We planned on winning all, but we did win three of five.``

- Former Bull Rory Sparrow is flying high in Miami. In the team`s recent hot stretch-when they went 2-4-Sparrow averaged 20 points per game and he`s been the only player to start every game as Miami has used nine different starting lineups (Houston is the only team to not change starting lineups this season). Also, former Minnesota center John Shaskey is pushig a struggling Rony Seikaly, who has been booed frequently after going seven games without scoring in double figures.

- Philadelphia rookie Scott Brooks recently drew 1,000 fans when the 76ers played in Oakland, near Brooks` home. His high school coach alone sold 500 tickets and seven additional reporters, all from small town weeklies, showed up to record his 5 points in 11 minutes.

But it`s nice to be recognized as a pro for a change.

Recently, the 5-foot-11-inch rookie was checking out of the team hotel in Milwaukee. Players are required to pay their incidentals only, but the clerk was insisting Brooks pay the full room rate.